The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-01


Immense odds on the side of their enemies
said: Come, my men, look these fellows in
the face. They are 5000; you are 800 Surely
the match is even" That speech gave
them the victory. Be not, my hearers,
dislnayed at any time by what seems an i'm
mense odds against you. Is fortune, is want
of education, are men, are devils against you
though the multitudes of earth and hell con-
front you, stand up to the charge. With a
million against you, the match is just even.
Nay, you have decided advantage If God
be for us, who can be against US? Thus pro-
tected, you need not spend much time i'll
answering your aSSailantS.
Many years ago word came to me that two
1mpostors, as temperance lecturers, had been
speaking III Ohio Ill various places, and Civ
ing their experience, and they told their au-
dience that they had long been intimate with
me and had become drunkards by dining at
my table, where | always had liquors of all
sorts. indignant to the last degree, | went
down to Patrick Campbell, chief of Brooklyn
police, saying | was going to start that night
for Ohio to have these villains arrested and /
wanted him to tell me how to make the ar
rest. He smiled and said; "Do not waste
your time by chasing these men. Go homo
and do your work, and they can do you no
HARM. took his counsel and all was well.
Long ago ] made up my mind that If one will
put his trust i'll God and be faithful to duty,
he need not fear any evil. Have God on your
SIDE young man. and all the combined forces
And this leads me to say that the mightiest
sf all defense for a young man is the possession
thorough religofious principle Nothing can
take the place of it. He may have manners
that would put to shame the gracefulness and
courtesy OF Lord Chesterfield Foreign lam
guage may drop from his tongue. He may he
able to discuss literatures, and laws, and
foreign customs. He may WELD pen of UNI
equalled polish and power His quiclness and
tact may qualify him for the high
nlnpxr Of tl,n
He may be as sharp as Herod and
as strong as Samson with rs fine locks as those
which hung Absalom, still he is not safe from
contamination. The mere elegant his manner,
and the more fascinating his dress, the more
peril. Satan does not care much for the allie
glance of coward and iiiterate being He
can bring him into efficient service But he
loves to storm that castle of character which
has in it the most spoils and treasures. 1t was
not some crazy craft creeping along the coast
with vaueless cargo that the pirate attacked,
but the ship, full-winged and tagged plying
between great ports, carrying its million of
specie. The more your natural and acquired
accomplishments, the more need of the religion
of Jesus. That does not cut in upon or hack up
any smoothness of disposition or behavior.
1t gives symmetry 1t arrests that in the soul
which ought TO be arrested and propels that
which ought to be propelled. 1t fills up the
gulleys. IT elevates and transforms. TO
beauty it gives more beauty, to tact more tact.
When the Holy Spirit inipresscs the image OF
Ge- "a tsie isenas isssdoes not spoil the eaflgas
III in all the multitudes OF Young men upon
whom religion has acted you could find one ma
ture that had been the least damaged, would
yield this proposition. You may now have
enough strength of character to repel the vari-
Gus temptations TO gross wickedness which
assail you, but l do not know in what
strait you may be thrust at some
future time. Nothing short of the grace of
the then he q Ia dp
the lions. You are not meeker than Moses,
nor holier than David, nor more patient than
job, and you ought not to consider yourself
inyunerab!e. You may have some weak
point of character that you have never dis
covered, and in some hour when you are as
saulted the Philistines will be upon thee, Sam
SON. Trust not i'll your good habits, or your
early training, or your pride of character;
nothing short of the arm of Almighty God
will be sufficient TO uphold you. You look
forward to the world sometimes with a chill
ing dependency. Cheer upl J. will tell
you how you all may make q fortune.
"Seok first the kingdom OF God and His right
eousnoss and all other things win be added
mean in this matter. Give God the freshness
of your life You will not have the heart TO
drink down the trimming cup of life and then
pour the dregs on Gods altar. TO Saviour
SO infinitely generous you have not the heart
to act like that That is not brave, that is
not honorable, that is not manly. Your great
est want in all the world is u new heart. In
Gods name tell you that. And the Blessed
Spirit presses through the solemnities and
privileges of this holy hour Put the cup of
life eternal TO your thirsty lips. Thrust it not
back. Mercy offers il, bleeding mercy, long
suffering mercy. Reject all other friendships,
be ungratofu for all other kindness, prove rec
reant to all other bargains, but despise Gods
love for your immortal souldon't you do that
/ would like to sec some of you this hour
press out of the ranks Of the world and lay
your conquered spirit ut tho feet Of Jesus.
This hour Is no wandering yagabond stagger-
the sl,irs wbisnerinp mercy fo 4iv coul. Tife
20 ~" III" Ill., ~ n,"J 20
en- ~ e"i